Friday 4 December 2020

10 ways to lead a healthier and happier life


This year has been a strange one, hasn't it! With COVID-19 and a change in lifestyle, some things in 2020 feel like they have lasted a lifetime. I originally posted this blog article back in 2018 and have edited it for today because I feel that now more than ever, living a healthy lifestyle is crucial. With mental health issues on the rise due to the pandemic, it's more important than ever to take care of your health. For me, working full-time from home over lockdown and combining that with home-schooling for several months left little time for anything else. Saying that though exercise and healthy food can be incorporated into any routine. Here's a little reminder of ways to live a healthier and happier life. 

1. Eat healthy nutritious food with plenty of fruit and vegetables
Obesity leads to a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, type 2 diabetes and some cancers including breast cancer and bowel cancer. Studies also show obesity can lead to low self-esteem and depression. It is much easier than you think to cut down on sugars and processed foods and replace with healthier and fresher alternatives full of the recommended 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. For example, the BBC Good Food has a wonderful section on quick and healthy dinners. If you have kids (or even if you don't!) try making these healthy sugar-free banana, coconut and raisin flapjacks, yum!


2. Drink water
Unless I’m exercising this is the one I sometimes forget especially when working from home! The NHS advises that those in the UK should drink at least 6-8 glasses a day to avoid dehydration and so the body can function effectively. Other health benefits include assisting in weight loss, boosting the immunity and increasing energy levels.

3. Everything in moderation
Eating healthily is very important. But so is enjoying life and constant calorie counting or strict dieting is not healthy either. I believe the motto 'everything in moderation'. As long as most of your lifestyle is active and healthy it's fine to enjoy that chocolate cake once in a while! Life is too short after all.

4. Exercise
From losing weight to increasing energy levels, exercise has so many benefits! The NHS recommends adults aged between 19-64 should aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This includes anything that will raise your heart beat such as brisk walking, cycling or even mowing the lawn! For those who are more active, vigorous aerobic activity includes running, swimming, cycling fast, tennis, football, rugby, aerobics, the list goes on! As well as all the health benefits for lowering risks of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, depression and dementia, exercise simply makes you feel better! Spending time outside in the sunshine is an instant mood improver too! For running inspiration see these top tips for new runners.


5. Ditch bad habits 
This goes without saying but leading a healthier lifestyle means ditching the takeaways, eating well, reducing screen time, not smoking and taking care of yourself. There are so many alternatives these days and these offer huge benefits to the health of your body as a whole. Sometimes taking a step back and looking at the ways you may be overwhelmed can be a huge help and prevent the bad habits. 

6. Sleep
Any parent will know the importance of a good night's sleep! There are so many health benefits and I'm sure everyone will agree that sleeping well makes a big difference! Having a comfortable environment with little noise and a good mattress are ideal!

7. Regular health check ups

Being healthy means taking care of your body. Getting regular dental check ups and sight tests are important for your overall health. If you have a certain health query see the doctor. Even think about having a full body check up including things like a regular ear check with Auris Ear Care.


8. Meditate!  
I’ve been practising meditation regularly for years now and the benefits are huge. It is difficult to describe and works for people in different ways. It has changed the way I think about certain situations, how I relate to people and how a short morning meditation can change my entire day. The more I meditate the bigger the effect. An article on Live and Dare blog shows 76 benefits to meditating including decreasing depression, reducing stress, improving focus and ability to work under stress and increasing psychological well-being. The full list is on the site.

9. Reduce screen time 
We live in an age of new technologies and most of us can easily reduce our screen time! A study published in JAMA Pediatrics show that limiting screen time means children sleep longer resulting in a lower risk of obesity, perform better at school and health and general well-being improve. Reducing screen time gives more time to do all of the other things mentioned in this blog post.


10. Have time to yourself and do the things you love
We all need time to ourselves, to recharge and unwind. There are several health benefits to spending time alone Have a relaxing bath without distractions or go on a trip for a chance of scenery! Whatever it is, enjoy it! Spending time with those you love and generally being inspired by people and things around you can also have huge uplifting benefits. Do something creative every day and something out of the ordinary. Learn to do the things that make you happy! 💛

*This post contains sponsored links. All words and opinions are my own.
Images: Pixabay 

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20 comments

  1. Great post, agree with everything. And the best is water. Free and with so many health benefits.

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  2. I am so guilty of not drinking enough water, in fact I doubt I even drink half of that!

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  3. Awesome and effective tips to make sure you live a healthy life. I love meditating because it's a great way to relieve stress and allow you to breathe for a moment especially when you're under too much pressure.

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  4. I can't believe we're already into March! I started the year great but had to cancel our gym membership because we're moving. Hope to pick things up again in the spring.

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  5. Great tips! I need to eat more healthy snacks for sure!

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  6. These are great tips and we still have time to make a change into this new year! Drinking more water and have more time to myself are within my goals!

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  7. Actually there is a common mistake on the recommendation for the 8 glasses of water per day. It refers to the total amount of water you get from the food too. So the amount of water in a glass would depend on what you've eaten all day.

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  8. great and informative post; i don't miss eating fruits and vegetable.

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  9. Great advice! I really want to start meditating as I think I would really benefit from it, I am always so stressed out!

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  10. These are tried and true tips! I have been working on increasing my water intake lately and I'm already seeing positive benefits.

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  11. I agree with all these tips. I need to up my fruit and vegetables intake for sure.

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  12. I love your list, they are indeed super important factors to lead a healthy life. I'm guilty of too much screentime (work, work, work) therefore not enough sleep...and I often forget to drink enough water which makes everything worse. Thank you for the reminder, I'll try to focus on these issues more from now on.

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  13. I am all about the exercise, well only of late, but my body and mind feel so much better for it.

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  14. This really reminds me that I need to have healthier snacks for around the house, and find ways to eat better. These are all important things in losing weight and getting yourself healthy.

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  15. Awesome and effective tips to make sure you live a healthy life. Meditation sure helps with stress!

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  16. I had a back operation in October so this year is all about recovery for me. So these tips and ideas are really helpful for me and would help.

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  17. I really need to work on my eating habits. I love fruits and veggies - I need to be more purposeful in consuming them. All of the tips are great! :)

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  18. Some really simple yet effective here for leading a healthier lifestyle. Small changes are the most important and they’re easy to do. Hopefully this post will inspire some

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  19. Eating good food, being surrounded by positive people and friends, meditation + love are the great ingredients for a healthy life! Always smile to bring in positive atmosphere.

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  20. I Totally agree! You need a supportive team and to def. eat healthy foods to have an healthier lifestyle!

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